T| The keynote of the twenty-first annual convention of Christian Endeavour at Middlesborough was struck by the Eev. James Spedding of Birkenhead, who reminded the delegates that 1 G. Matheson, Voices of the Spirit, 89.
446 THE SUPREMACY OF THE SPIRITUAL
all the elaborate plans and programmes for the convention would be as machinery with no driving force apart from the Divine Spirit. He little thought how perfect an illustration of his message the convention would provide. The great Town Hall of Middlesborough, seating some 4000 people, was thronged for a praise service — " The Evangel of Jesus," composed by a local organist of conspicuous ability; a choir of 350 voices was in readiness ; Felix Corbett, a master musician of the north, was at the keyboard of one of England's noblest organs. The brilliant composer, E. G. Thompson, Mus.Bac, was on his dais. But the organ remained silent. We could soon tell there was some misadventure, the fact being that one of the wires of one of the electric motors was out of order. Till an electrician had been sent for, and had repaired the fused and broken wire, the choir had to sing to the weaker accompaniment of the piano. Great was the relief of conductor, choir, and audience when once more the electric power was free to rush into the organ. Only as the link between ourselves and God is established and maintained can great things happen in our individual lives and our Christian societies.1
TJ Some time ago I stood on the east coast of England and looked out over a stretch of oozy slime and ill-smelling mud. There were the barges high and dry, lying on their sides, in the mud. No good their heaving the anchor or hoisting the sail — all this availed them nothing. And as I looked out upon it I thought within myself — What is the remedy ? Were it any use for the Corporation to pass a bye-law that every citizen should bring pot, kettle, or pan filled with water, and pour it out upon the stretch of mud ? But as I watched I saw the remedy — God turned the tide. In swept the waters of the sea and buried the mud, and then came the breath of sweetness and life. And it flowed in about the barges, and instantly all was activity. Then heave-ho with the anchor, then hoist the sails, then forth upon some errand of good. So is it that we stand looking out upon many a dreadful evil that fills us with dismay — drunkenness, gambling, impurity. Is there any remedy ? And the churches, so very respectable, dreadfully respectable many of them — but alas ! high and dry on the mud — for these, too, what is the remedy? We want the flood-tide — the gracious outpouring of the Spirit; then must come the roused and quickened churches. It is ours now if we will have it : " Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me."2
1 S. Pearce Carey. 9 M. G. Pearse, Parables and Pictures, 108.
ZECHARIAH iv. 6 44;
Mysterious Presence, Source of all, — The world without, the soul within, Fountain of Life, 0 hear our call, And pour Thy living spirit in !
Thou breathest in the rushing wind, Thy beauty shines in leaf and flower ; Nor wilt Thou from the willing mind Withhold Thy light and love and power.
Thy hand unseen to accents clear Awoke the psalmist's trembling lyre, And touched the lips of holy seer With flame from Thine own altar-fire.
That touch divine still, Lord, impart, Still give the prophet's burning word ; And vocal in each waiting heart Let living psalms of praise be heard.1 1 S. C. Beach.
Contrition.
JER.-MAL.— 29
Literature.
Biederwolf (W. E.), How Can God Answer Prayer? 125.
Bonar (H.), Light and Truth : Old Testament, 364.
Edgar (R. M.), The Philosophy of the Cross, 160.
Harper (F.), Echoes from the Old Evangel, 44.
Kuyper (A.), The Work of the Holy Spirit, 114.
McCheyne (R. M.), Memoir and Remains, 465.
McCosh (J. M.), Gospel Sermons, 46.
Murray (A.), The Ministry of Intercession, 116.
Oosterzee (J. J. van), The Year of Salvation, i. 466.
Paget (F. E.), Helps and Hindrances to the Christian Life, i. 135.
Smellie (A.), In the Hour of Silence, 203.
Spurgeon (C. H.), Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, x. (1864), No. 575 ;
xxiii. (1877), No. 1362 ; xxxiii. (1887), No. 1983 ; 1. (1904), No. 2901. Vaughan (J.), Sermons (Brighton Pulpit), New. Ser., xxv. (1885), No.
1296. Christian World Pulpit, xxiii. 237 (S. A. Tipple) ; lxvii. 185 (G. Body). Church of England Pulpit, lix. 182 (G. Body). Church Pulpit Year Book, 1912, p. 52.
450
Contrition.
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication ; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced : and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. — Zech. xii. 10.
This is one of the prophecies given to Israel during its later period, when the vigorous spiritual life of the nation had already departed. But Moses expressed the same thought in his prophetic prayer : " Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them ! " (Num. xi. 29). These prophecies are evidence of the Old Testament pro- phetic conviction that the dispensation of the Holy Spirit in those days was exceedingly limited ; that the real dispensation of the Holy Spirit was still tarrying ; and that only in the days of the Messiah was it to come in all its fulness and glory.